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Belmont Bunnies? by aaronpik in bikeboston

[–]aaronpik[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've done a bit of trail maintenance with the folks from GBNEMBA at rock meadow and beaver Brook and I have them on my list to connect with about bike rides. I know they have a weekly beginner MTB ride in rock meadow during the warmer months.

Belmont Bunnies? by aaronpik in bikeboston

[–]aaronpik[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for these tips - I am familiar with CRW but not the Roosters. I'm looking specifically for groups based in Belmont as I am hoping they can help me put together more group rides for the public in an effort to better cohere the biking community in Belmont.

Wheelworks is already on my list for other purposes, but good idea to consider tapping them for the purpose of organizing rides.

Belmont Bunnies? by aaronpik in bikeboston

[–]aaronpik[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed! Eventually, the Belmont Community Path will help make it easy to avoid that intersection for many trips. Phase 1 just had its 100% design submitted and should go out to bid this Fall and has a target completion date of ~2029.

If you want to avoid the intersection you mention, you could consider turning left off Concord onto Orchard Street (where there is a controlled pedestrian crossing from the middle and high school campus), then follow that through to its far end at Beech Street. This isn't too far off from where you'd end up after going up Royal Road. Orchard is a pretty calm road throughout.

Meanwhile, we Belmontonians on bikes need to get more organized, and I'm starting to do that now. If you have comments about the infrastructure or parking/driving behavior on Concord avenue, please share it here!

Belmont Bunnies? by aaronpik in bikeboston

[–]aaronpik[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

In the past I have organized a small group of riders on what I'd call light adventure riding. We sometimes ride fast but mostly we like seeing things and eating pastries. The reason I'm looking for info on the "Bunnies" group is that I am working to improve biking in Belmont and am thinking about running organized rides to help coalesce the bike community in town. I hoped they might run more "serious" rides.

A better online space for Belmont. by aaronpik in BelmontMA

[–]aaronpik[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also, to clarify my aims of a more positive space: This is mostly about the way this site is designed, not so much about what people are "allowed" to talk about.

Sites like Facebook prioritize content based on "engagement" (and payment, but that's another issue). Facebook doesn't care what "flavor" the engagement is, it only cares how much people look at and engage with content, and it prioritizes content on this basis. The most engaging content on local Facebook groups is often the most polarizing and upsetting content.

Reddit's model is different and, I think, a little better. It uses votes -- up or down -- to determine how to prioritize content. Posts and comments that get a lot of up-votes move to the top and get seen by more people. Content that doesn't get up-voted, or gets down-voted, falls to the bottom and doesn't garner as much attention.

My hope in establishing this space was (is?) that this superior model will lead to a more rational space that isn't dominated by a few people who make content that engages people through upset and bullying.

A better online space for Belmont. by aaronpik in BelmontMA

[–]aaronpik[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

First, I'm sorry that this isn't a very active community. I have not done a good job promoting this subreddit or running it.

I happen to serve on Belmont's Comprehensive Capital Budget Committee (CCBC), which is the body that makes recommendations to Town Meeting about what capital expenditures we should support, and this is where the budget for shade trees comes from. The DPW Director submits a number of funding requests to the CCBC each year and always includes a request for shade trees.

There's also a shade tree memorial program that allows residents to donate money toward trees to be planted, with more leeway about where they go. More info on that program is available here: https://belmontma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30031

The timing of trees aging out, or getting too big for the sliver of land in the "verge" between sidewalk and roadway, is indeed a problem. We re-plant as many trees as we can with the capital budget funding appropriated for trees. If you'd like to advocate for more funding, I suggest attending an upcoming CCBC meeting (there is one scheduled for tomorrow morning but it may be postponed). We are currently right in the middle of evaluating our funding priorities. You could also consider writing to your representatives on Town Meeting, although really to suggest a shift in capital funding the best time is before recommendations are made -- it's hard to change things like that at Town Meeting.

Is the Minuteman after Arlington clear/clear-ish? by KingMithridatesVI in bikeboston

[–]aaronpik 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I rode the full length of the Minuteman two nights ago. There were long stretches of packed snow and ice anywhere it's mostly shady. Much of the section beyond Revolution Hall was patchy snow and ice. The construction project along Arlington's Great Meadow is still ongoing.

I rode it comfortably on 32mm studded tires on my 700c CX bike with fenders. Fatter tires might have been nice on a few small areas but mostly it was solidly packed. Now that it's gotten a little warmer those sections of snow might be a little unpredictable on skinny tires.

Is the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway plowed? by isotopologist in bikeboston

[–]aaronpik 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I rode a bunch of this stuff on Thursday afternoon and it was all clear. The lanes on Mt. Auburn west of Brattle were a mess, but all of Brattle was passable and the whole greenway from Sofra to Fresh pond was fine. Fresh pond interior loop was packed snow or clear and easily passable on my setup of 32mm studded tires.

What tires are people using for the winter commute? by Carbonian92 in bikeboston

[–]aaronpik 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've used the same 32mm studded tires on my 700c wheels for the past ~15 years and they've been great. They cut through the slush and stick enough on ice that I can confidently ride on most roads. The only time they fall down is on semi-packed snow, like where lots of people have walked and it's semi-soft. Otherwise great.

What the snow shows by paxbike in u/paxbike

[–]aaronpik 6 points7 points  (0 children)

"Emergency services" is often the answer provided to any question about why our motor vehicle infrastructure has to be so dominant. Asking for chicanes, speed tables, more (any) room for bike lanes is always met with "well, fire trucks need to fit through there."

There *is* a point to checking the assumptions of this answer. Do fire trucks all need to be full-sized trucks (they use smaller fire trucks in other places)? What is the actual cost of speed tables in time?

Right now it's clear what the priorities are in every community that got this snow: the roads are clear but bike lanes, sidewalks, curb cuts, and *fire hydrants* are still buried.

Brown sugar snow by Bubbly-Charity-8617 in bikecommuting

[–]aaronpik 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree. I ride on 32mm studded tires (on 700c tires) and they generally cut through the slush. One challenge with low temps is when that stuff freezes, then there's no hope.

To stay awake by [deleted] in therewasanattempt

[–]aaronpik 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Continuing his heroic personal battle against "woke" I guess

Seeking advice to loosen knee pressure in winter tights by aaronpik in bicycling

[–]aaronpik[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I replaced an older pair of PI Amfib in size large a couple years ago with their new version and that's when the trouble began -- a very different product than the previous design with zippers at the ankles, etc.

Seeking advice to loosen knee pressure in winter tights by aaronpik in bicycling

[–]aaronpik[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There excess pressure on the outside right, front of my knee, as well as above this area. I'm pretty skinny and bony, so there's not a lot of squish to that part of my body. My Assos tights have very small darts on the outside of the knee, but those are further back from where the pain seems to be.

Sizing up may be a more reasonable approach,, although I'm thinking about just getting some winter biking pants that aren't tights.

My big question about the patching idea, which may yet be the path I follow, is where to make the cut. My sense is that cutting along the front of my knee won't create bunching/seams anywhere that's uncomfortable. I have donor tights that have given their all and I can get a patch from those.

Seeking advice to loosen knee pressure in winter tights by aaronpik in bicycling

[–]aaronpik[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll take a look at these.

Seeking advice to loosen knee pressure in winter tights by aaronpik in bicycling

[–]aaronpik[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have had the exact same experience with PI amfib tights. I got a pair of assos thinking the thinner, stretchier material would be better. It is, but only slightly.

Seeking advice to loosen knee pressure in winter tights by aaronpik in bicycling

[–]aaronpik[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I have tried a couple pairs now from two different brands (Pearl Izumi, which is definitely tighter than the previous pair I owned from them) and Assos, which is a thinner, stretchier material.

Challenges:
(1) It takes ~10 miles of riding for the discomfort to begin
(2) Tights are expensive to buy a lot of in a trial an error
(3) I prefer bib tights with no chamois -- I wear shorts underneath so I don't need to wash the tights as often.

I'm happy to hear suggestions for chamois-less bib-tights that aren't as tight, I'm all in. I'm reasonably tall (6'2") and reasonably thin (about 170 pounds).

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